Katrina: Stars don't mind getting hands dirty

Thursday’s USA Today has a comprehensive roundup of what stars are doing on the ground to help, and some tell the paper they couldn’t help but get involved. ”It’s human to want to get your hands in it,” says Sean Penn, who says he embarked on his recent rescue boat effort because ”day by day, it became apparent there weren’t enough healthy bodies there to help, so I just went down there.” He insists that he was not seeking attention. ”I’m a 45-year-old man with two kids, and I’ve had plenty of attention in my life. I don’t need to dive into toxic waste for that.”

Finally, USA Today reports that newly minted reality starMr. T has cast away his trademark gold chains in the wake of the disaster. He says, ”Because of the situation we’re in now [after Katrina], I told myself, ‘No, T, you can never wear your gold again.’ It’s an insult to God.”